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AIRPORT VOICE, FEBRUARY 2022 27
W E K E E P T H E
NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN
W E K E E P T H E
NEIGHBORHOOD S A F E
W E K E E P T H E
N E I G H B O R H O O D CONNECTED
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NYCAR
Quarterly
meeting
Airport 5G deployment reviewed
“A regularly scheduled quarterly
meeting of the New York Community
Aviation Roundtable (NYCAR) was
held on January 26 and was well attended
by representatives from Congressional,
New York State, and New
York City elected officials. There was
also representation by Community
Boards, airport and airline industry
stakeholders. The general public was
particularly concerned with the topic of
5G rollout plans by AT&T and Verizon
Communications and its impact on airport
operations.
The meeting was opened by NYCAR
Co-Chairs Barbara Brown and
Warren Schreiber beginning with presentations
by the Port Authority and
airlines discussing agreements to delay
switching on new telecom towers
near key airports. There had been criticism
from the FAA and airlines about
interference from 5G repeaters affecting
radio altimeters. Some airlines
were concerned about plans to turn on
additional towers. However, by January
25, the FAA issued approvals for
additional altimeters that allow about
90% of the nation’s commercial aviation
fleet to perform low-visibility landings
at airports where 5G wireless is
deployed. Although it was reported that
no flight disruptions occurred while the
FAA issued approvals, the question of
why the FAA and airlines waited until
imminent rollout by AT&T and Verizon
Communications, was of concern
to NYCAR. It was recommended that
earlier communications among all interested
parties would have resulted in
a smoother 5G rollout.
An update on the VOR Mon/PBN,
was presented by David S. Johnson
from the FAA. He explained that Performance
Based Navigation (PBN)
Team One’s primary mandate is to increase
the efficiency and capacity of
the Northeast Corridor by modernizing
and updating the existing arrival/departure
procedures and airways. There
is a process involving a “kick-off” meeting
with a full workgroup that involves
the PBN Team, Facilities, Industry and
Airport representatives explaining the
design process and gathering initial input
for the planned designs. Mr. Johnson
presented several charts, but clarified
the current process for the New
York area did not involve new flight procedures
or any additional aircraft noise
relief, but rather to eliminate or clear
out procedures no longer in use. If and
when new airport procedures are considered
in the future, there was a call
by NYCAR members and the public
for the use of improved noise metrics
and consultations with noise experts at
the beginning of any FAA process concerning
new flight procedures. Equally
important were comments stressing
the urgency of community participation
at the beginning of any FAA new
flight procedure process to ensure the
needs of people on the ground are elevated
to the needs for airport efficiency
and capacity.
Meeting participants then turned
their attention to an update by Andrew
Brooks, FAA Environmental Program
Manager, of the January 12, 2022
Draft Advisory Circular 150/5020-
1A Noise Control and Compatibility
Planning for Airports. The Circular
provides general guidance for noise
control and compatibility planning for
airports as well as specific guidance
for preparation of airport noise exposure
maps and airport noise compatibility
programs by airport operators
for submission under Title 14, Code
of Federal Regulations, Part 150, and
the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement
Act of 1979. NYCAR asked
whether the Port Authority was planning
to submit comments. The Port
Authority advised it was most likely
planning to consult with the Airports
Council International-North
America (ACI) and the American
Association of Airport Executives
(AAAE) to provide comments. The Port
Authority also encouraged NYCAR
to submit its own independent comments,
and Co-Chair Barbara Brown
asked for NYCAR members to please
send comments for consideration by
the Coordinating Committee. Submission
deadline for all comments on the
Circular is February 25, 2022.”
New York Community Aviation
Roundtable (NYCAR) contact: nycommunityairportroundtable@
gmail.com
link
link
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